Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the field of conveying technology and relates to a conveying device, including:                two side closure beams that are spaced from one another and run along a conveying direction,        an extensively extended conveying element, which is arranged in a circulating manner between the side closure beams and is with an upper conveying section and with a lower return section,        two head-ends, which are spaced from one another in the conveying direction, wherein the conveying element is deflected at the head-ends in each case,        a support arrangement arranged between the side closure beams and the head-ends, for supporting the conveying section,        at least one drive device with at least one drive motor for the drive of the conveying element.        
Description of Related Art
Conveying devices with a circulating, extensively extended conveying element, such as a conveying belt or mat chain, are known in the state of the art. The convening elements as a rule are driven at one or two deflection locations by way of a deflection shaft.
The conveying element is guided between the deflection locations is a sliding manner, e.g. on slide rails, for the support of the conveying element in the region of the upper conveying section, on which the conveyed article lies.
Conveying devices, with which conveying element rolls between the deflection locations on roller bodies are also known. Such a conveying device is disclosed, e.g., in WO 2010/148523.
The mentioned conveying devices are applied, for example, as worker-rider belts. The construction height of such worker-rider belts should be as low as possible. Thus conveying devices, which for the mentioned application have a construction height of maximal 120 mm to 170 mm, are common nowadays. With regard to this dimensional detail, the free height between the floor support and the return section of the conveying element is also included. However, the comparatively low construction height represents a particular challenge, especially concerning the design and configuration of the drive device.
DE-C-44 07 163 describes a generic conveying device with a conveying belt that circulates around two deflection pivots. The conveying belt is driven via one of the deflection pivots, wherein the drive moor is arranged outside the driven conveying belt. The deflection pivot is driven via a gear by a chain drive.
Although a drive device, which is arranged outside the conveying region, permits a reduced construction height of the conveying device for that region that forms the conveying surface, such a conveying device however is neither compact nor space-saving. A compact and space-saving construction manner necessitates the drive units with the drive motor and gear being arranged between the conveying section and return section of the conveying element as well as between the side closure beams.
DE-U-93 16 012 likewise concerns itself with the problem of restricted space between the conveying section and deflection section of the conveying belt of a conveying device, which is led in a circulating manner. The conveying belt wraps a drive wheel in the deflection section. The drive motor is arranged between the conveying section and return section of the conveying element as well as between the side closure beams. For reasons of space, the drive shaft of the drive unit is at right angles to the rotation axis of the drive wheel. The torque transmission is effected via a gearing with a bevel gear. The conveying belt between the deflection regions is guided in a sliding manner via sidewalls.
DE 1 887 279 describes a generic conveying device with a circulating, extensively extended conveying element, which is driven via a deflection pivot. The drive motor is arranged between the two deflection regions within the conveying device, wherein the device includes a gear with drive belts for transmitting the torque from the motor shaft onto the driven deflection pivot.
DE 1 060 782 also describes a generic conveying device with a circulating, extensively extended conveying element, which is led via two deflection locations that are spaced from one another. The conveying element here, in contrast to the solutions described above, is not driven in the region of the deflection, but in the region of the conveying and return section, via a positive connection in each case to a drive element. The drive elements are driven by a drive motor that is arranged between the deflection locations within the conveying device.
DE 10 2006 010 974 describes a conveying device including a conveying belt as well as an essentially horizontal guide frame with two lateral sidewalls, which extend horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the conveying belt and at whose ends a deflection roller for the conveying belt and drivable by a drive is rotatably mounted. The drive is arranged between the two sidewalls.
The solutions known from the state of the art, however, have disadvantages. Thus drive units that are arranged within the conveying device are low in power due to their necessary compact design. The construction length of such conveying devices is limited by way of this. A modular construction of the conveying device, which is to permit large construction lengths can therefore hardly be implemented by way of conventional construction manners.